Remember a few decades ago when everyone was doing ‘themes’ in their kitchens? Chickens, cherries, gingham… you’d pick something you love and then fill up the room with dishes, kitchen towels, plates, a nice wallpaper border to top it all off. It was bad design heaven.

Thankfully that trend is long gone…

When I design a space I tend to gravitate toward more minimal, classic designs, and like to keep things clean and simple. When it comes to my kitchen I like to have as many things put away as possible. I don’t like to have lots of stuff on display on the counters. You won’t see a jar full of wooden spoons and spatulas on my counter, and the only reason my kitchen aid mixer is on display right now is that I don’t have room in the cabinet for it.

But I do love color. I love colorful design and bringing fun and playful elements into any space. In the kitchen, even though I like things to be as clean and put away as possible, I bring color into that space with accessories, cookware, and I have an inexplicably strong affinity for fun dishtowels.

Here are some of my favorite kitchen items, some of which I currently have, and some are on my wishlist!

Colorful Le Crueset 

These are a bit of an investment, but the enameled cast iron is sheer bliss to cook in. It’s also unbelievably easy to clean and you can put them in the oven! I have one larger pot that I use all the time in the winter for soups and chili, and am currently eyeing their new lilac line coming out this spring… I’m seriously on the hunt for some new recipes to justify this as a new addition to our kitchen!

Rubber Dipped Accessories

Whether it’s a colorful bowl that I might have out on the counter {more often than not it’s just the empty bowl as a colorful accent, not usually holding anything}, or the wooden spoons that mostly live in a drawer unless I’m using them, I really love Willful Goods‘ rubber dipped bowls and utensils. I also love that they are a small business that hand makes all of it’s offerings.

Containers

If I do have to have something stored out on the counter, I’d opt for a container with a lid… gotta keep it clean! I love these brass containers and if you’re more of a ‘see what I have stored’ kind of person, these glass jars with gold lids are really beautiful {if I’m being honest I’d turn them around so you don’t see the logo, nothing personal Bodum, lol!}.

Mixing Bowls

There are always the fun and colorful mixing bowls. Personally I’m a ride or die fan of vintage pyrex, but I have a really hard time resisting the urge to add some jadeite bowls to my collection. They are so pretty but I can’t really justify that many mixing bowls in my cabinet!

Dishtowels

I have a serious thing for fun dishtowels. This might just be the easiest way to add some color and maybe even a little whimsy to your kitchen. Plus they are easy to change out and maybe the least commitment you could make to your space… don’t like it anymore? Switch to a new one! Here are just a few of my current favorites, some of which I’ve added to my collection, some are just on my wish list list {not for long though!}.

From top left: lips | color block | flamingo | farm animals | pattern | frenchie |dapper animals

Plant Life

I’ve been obsessed with succulents and cactus for the past couple of years. I love that they are so colorful and come in so many different shapes and sizes {and that they are pretty hard to kill!}. Last year my manfriend instituted a moratorium on bringing any new plants home I had collected so many! Our kitchen right now doesn’t get any good light, but that’s something I hope changes with our new place. I love having either a small single plant or smaller arrangement of them on the counter, but I think in our new place I’m going to go a little more bold and get a huge cactus as a focal point ~ who’s with me?! 

What are your favorite ways to add color to your kitchen? {and please don’t say your new wallpaper border, ha!}